Crime Beat: Suspected Package Thief Doused With Bear Spray, Arrested

Police held Andy Anduha, 51, on her citizen’s arrest before booking him into county jail on suspicion of attempted burglary. Anduha is scheduled to be arraigned on one count of first-degree residential burglary, said Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office. He faces up to six years in state prison if convicted, and one strike against him under the state’s three-strikes law.

The original post continues below:

Great news sent to us straight from people involved: Zack says a package thief was arrested today in spectacular fashion:

My fiance Sonya chased him down today after pepper spraying him.
10 cops and a citizens arrest later, he is currently being processed for attempted burglary.

Here's a nice video of her running out the front door with a bokken in hand. [Ed.--deleted]

Zack had previously installed a motion-activated camera in their entryway that sends an alert when recording. Presumably, Sonya received an alert and took off in pursuit. "Sonya was actually sitting on the front balcony above the gate. The sound of the gate opening is what startled her." What happened next may become legend:

HE IS BEIN TAKEN AWAY IN AN AMBULANCE CUZ OF THE BEAR SPRAY I DOUSED HIM WITH.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

And:

@nettatheninja he didn't try to attack me but he did have a knife. I was above him on the 1st floor balcony, dousing him with bear spray.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

And:

I WAS ALSO HIT WITH BEAR SPRAY BLOW BACK, SO MY FACE IS BURNING BUT IT FEELS SO GOOD.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

But she's ok:

Now onto making a dinner of blowtorch prime rib roast & fried brussels sprouts for friends tonight. All in a day’s work.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

The Bad Guy on the other hand:

@_bryce_ he escaped, but not far. The bear spray debilitated him & painted him orange so other cops picked him up within 5 minutes. GOT HIM!
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

As for the cops?

@nettatheninja hhahah cop asked me if I have a license for it - I told him it's sold on the shelves at REI. Very handy for home protection.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

But their initial reaction?

@nettatheninja yes otherwise ok :) I chased him with the spray & bokken. Cops were cracking up when they arrived to see me & my weapons.
— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

The best part? Sonya said she received a call from SFPD and that the perp has been booked for attempted burglary (a felony). He'll be in jail for a while.

Well done, Sonya!

Update (5/28/13): From the comments below:

Looks like Mr Anduha the "bicycle bandit" may be back on his rounds. I saw him this morning on his bike checking doorsteps in Bernal. He actually parked his bike up on it's stand in the middle of the street and looked both ways before walking up my neighbors drive. I should add I didn't see him take anything this time but I'll be challenging him next time I see him.

90
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Well done?

This is assault. Cops can't beat suspected criminals who are fleeing, and citizens can't blast them with bear spray. He had a knife? Please. You mean the one he opens packages with? Sonya was not in physical danger on her balcony.

Noe Valleyans and their property righs. Sheesh. I'm really sorry this guy has been stealing the toothpaste you buy on Amazon. (Full disclosure: he actually stole condoms out of a package on my porch.) But y'all are a bunch of Texans if you think this violence is justified.

On her twitter feed, the alleged hero calls her target "a notorious & violent thief/rapist. Been stealing packages from doors."

Somebody needs to get a little perspective. Package theft is not rape and does not merit violent retaliation. I hope he gets convicted for he theft. I also hope he presses charges against this crazy person.

no, he got what he deserves. the lib-kool-aid is in full effect here. if she had accosted him what do you think would have happened? they would have brewed some tea and discussed? No, the retaliation would have been in full effect. You think this is the only level of crimes the perp has committed and/or will commit.

go check your delusional self the next time you are faced with robbery. I've had my own experience with a home invasion, they get what they deserve!

Pretty sure this is all one angry anon ranting at her/the world. If you go back before this started on her twitter feed, she said she actually had him looked him up and saw that he was wanted for rape. Is that true? I don't know, but considering it was before the event (so it wasn't a 'trying to justify my actions' tweet) it seems reasonable. He was carrying a weapon and entering her house. Maybe it was a pocketknife, but you don't know that. She does seem a little bloodthirsty, but she's also in the right.

"lib-kool-aid"...I love that term and completely agree. This guy was not a peaceful demonstrator at UC Davis, he was trespassing and stealing! I, for one, am extremely glad that he has been caught (in the act with irrefutable video evidence, no less) before holiday packages start being delivered. And, notwithstanding the "lib-kool-aid" naysayers, I love the sense of community in Noe Valley that came together to keep an eye out and finally catch this loser!

On the one hand, this chutzpadik thief has been a plague on this neighborhood. I've seen him three times circling the blocks near my home. He's stolen plenty from my family, including food and presents for my newborn. Scumbag. And the police, Amazon, and the deliver companies all seemed impotent in their inability to do anything about it. Sonya Yu is awesomer.

On the other hand, while I have often thought of ways to get this guy vigilante-style, I have to agree that this is technically assault. And while this makes for great copy, confronting a criminal like this could have easily have turned out differently, with dire consequences for the would-be vigilante. I don't think it would have been fair for guy losing an eye due to a chemical burn, no matter how many items he stole.

Stealing a package off the porch (like he has done a thousand other times without stabbing homeowners) is not "home invasion" or "entering her home with a weapon." it's stealing a package off the porch.

And yes, I am the same anon that wrote the first three. I am not trying to rant. I just want to record her statements in case she deletes them laterso she can be held accountable.I don't know what would have happened if she tried to confront him. Maybe the bear spray would have been justified self-defense. But the story as told on her twitter feed is not. She laid a trap with deliberate intent to inflict pain. It's a Texan comception of property rights.

Bear spray (as well as pepper spray) is predominately capsicum. this wont make you "lose" an eye.

i wouldnt call the video surveillance-to-text message system a trap. I call it protection. What if you had experienced this over & over & over. Now if she laid out a trip wire with spring-loaded shrapnel of nails to fly out - then thats a different story. There is NOTHING wrong with setting up surveillance in this situation.

And the other poster is right, we dont know what size "knife" he had. Even if it was a pocket knife, with a 3" blade, thats long enough to do damage to another person & send them to the hospital.

This guy is a criminal. He gave up his rights once he started this tirade of actions against the community. I dont even live in Noe Valley, but the fact of the matter is, for now it was packages, once that wasnt enough, then it escalates to home invasions. I'll wager $5 he wasnt doing it b/c he has kids to feed and he cant find a good paying job

A man has been repeatedly committing property theft in your 'hood, and even entering your locked stairway to rob you. The police know who he is, but are incapable of catching him in the act. As a woman, the outcome of direct confrontation seems bleak, and again, calls to the police have netted nothing.

So what do you do? Nothing? Continue to let him enter your property and rob you? Or do you document the invasion, and protect yourself, while subduing him so that the police can finally catch him in the act?

F the anonymous posts. if someone was stealing your packages you would be pissed too and who gives a shit what they ordered, you cant go stealing anyone's mail or packages. karmas a bitch and so are you.

There is a known car thief in my neighborhood... I am tempted to set up cameras to catch that person... would I pepper spray them? No, I don't have any... buy I may sic my 5 pound dog on him (gender assumption).

Actually, bear spray IS illegal to use on humans. It's super-concentrated capsicum intended to knock out a four-hundred pound animal that wouldn't be deterred by street-grade pepper spray. It CAN cause permanent damage, and it states on the bottle that it's a federal offense for use other than intended purposes. So there's that.

You don't get to shoot a thief who is fleeing your home, from the safety of your balcony, with a licensed glock either. You don't actually have a right to assault someone who is running away from you. That's not a moral statement, it's a legal one - it is not considered self defense to assault someone who is fleeing. It's an illegal assault. Even if they are scumbag thieves.

Yes, 23rd Street and Gurerrero Street, that is some dangerous GHETTO area....this girl saved a package, she is a HERO!! What next the mean streets of Oakland.

I'd love to see her see some real criminal action with her bear spray in Oakland. She's be in for a real treat of what crime really is. All you have to do it contact the shipper and they will send you another, I think they call it INSURANCE!!

I stand behind my words and they still aren't worth anything. And there are plenty of anonymous commenters who really know their shit. Whether or not that includes the anonymous posters on this thread is an exercise for the reader.

It seems that this "sting operation" was too basic for the SFPD. You know, find out the day the FedEx truck is coming around, and put out a bait package, and arrest whomever goes through a locked gate wearing a ninja outfit. Whoopee.

I live on the same street as Sonya. The Bicycle Bandit has been stealing packages from our street for a couple of years. We have seen him in broad daylight riding his bicycle through the neighborhoods, scanning front porches and car for things to steal. We've called the police on him but there was nothing they could do unless he was caught in the act of burglary. Thanks to Sonya, he was finally caught. She is my new neighborhood hero.

I don't understand why the police couldn't bust this guy. He's been following delivery trucks for months, walking on to porches and opening packages in broad daylight. Not exactly Stealth Ninja. I know property crimes aren't high priority in SF but if he's breaking in to locked gates that's a bit troubling.

I say right on Sonya-most of you are just too damn wimpy to protect yourself. No wonder this guy has gotten away with this for too long.Feel sorry for the guy cause he got pepper sprayed? Well, I have a stun gun and I would have used it on him.What a bunch if whiny wimps; bet Sonya was a native.

Totally fine with this and very happy about the outcome. Also live in the area, SO tired of this guy. I have tried video-recording this guy while driving / following him in my car 2x now, but both times he spots you and then takes off down side streets. I'm fine with the pepper spray: if he was 100% innocent and she was just randomly spraying someone, she'd get sued and arrested. But that's not what happened here.Murphstahoe, disagree w/your words about the cops. They are usually out trying to handle bigger issues. And while ticketing a bicyclist may seem to a small item, you already know what's happened with some stop-sign-running cyclists in the past year.

I can't believe people are poo-pooing the guy because he's "just a burglar/thief." From a legal standpoint, Sonya had the legal right to shoot him with a firearm the moment he trespassed onto her property (esp if he had a knife--and knives are lethal weapons regardless of size. They never run out of ammo or malfunction). I suggest everyone in this Noe Valley community put up "TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT" signs and mean it!

This guy was going onto people's property, various people had posted videos of his face, his MO was well known, and this has been going on for months.

If this was a tough case to crack it's one thing, but Sonya pretty much proved this one was low hanging fruit. SFPD should have nipped this one in the bud, before it escalated.

There was no hard evidence that the thief wasn't carrying around a gun, what if his response to the pepper spray was to shoot someone? It was only a matter of time before someone got fed up and nailed this guy, wishful thinking by the cops to think everyone would just take it forever. Lucky it was someone as restrained as Sonya.

This guy has stolen from our home twice. One time he came right up our front steps, my front door was open as it was a warm day, my 2 daughters were in the living room. He ripped open the package and stole my kids birthday gifts. Seeing as this guy is also a sex offender and is known for being violent I am VERY happy he has been caught and couldn't thank Sonya enough. Anyone who is posting negative comments about what Sonya did is crazy and damm ignorant. See how it feels when a criminal comes to steal from your home or even worse harm you. Sonya is AWESOME!!

I would like to point out that banks use surveillance cameras and exploding dye packs to identify thieves. Bank robbers don't sue banks for assult when they are injured by the exploding dye packs and/or dye. ~another anonymous with a different perspective

I am also more than fine with this. I hope everyone who had items stolen filed police reports so they have a good record of the damage done and I hope he spends time in jail and when he gets out can find a new way to support himself besides stealing from others.

If anyone would like to get training in how to make a citizens arrest, I am willing. I have made hundreds as a Guardian Angel. I would suggest that you remove all your posts and pictures. This may easily become a legal issue for you Sonya. If you did not tell him to stop , and I hope you did you cannot detain him. Also, you can't really pepper spray someone unless a. you are trying to detain them and they are resisting... (yes you can do this), or b. They are attacking you. I honor your right to defend your property but caution you to not make public statements of any kind about the incident until you have consulted council. You could actually be arrested for what you did. If that would not be bad enough you are most certainly opening yourself up for a lawsuit. Yes a lawsuit. I have organized and trained 6 different neighborhood groups to patrol their own streets legally. Including a Patrol just over the hill targeting gay bashing.

Mr. Ford speaks the truth. If she didn't yell "stop", and if the perp did not assault her, or actually take anything, she could be facing charges or at minimum, a civil complaint from the perp. There is no "Castle Law" in California, so you cannot "shoot" someone for walking out of your house with a tv; as can be done in Texas.

And whomever said this is a liberal viewpoint is clueless about civil liberties. I'm conservative, and believe strongly in the use of force to defend one's home, person, and third parties (family), but there is no justification for use of force here that I read. Good for her to take action to help law enforcement, but it could have turned out very bad for her; what if he turned around to defend himself against her repeatedly spraying him? Once he turned and left her porch, I don't think the spraying was necessary.

I'm no attorney, but I'd argue her setting up the trap, purchasing the bear spray, and having the wooden sword handy, shows premeditation to commit assault. Even she claims these items were available to her for use in defense, her actions speak otherwise. She could have just jumped out, taken photos, and yelled at him. Walking up to her front door is not a crime, either...

This is a great discussion - I'm learning all kinds of things. I'm very happy this scumbag finally got caught and hope nothing untoward happens to Sonya; vigilante or not, we citizens need to have more rights than the criminals.

I like how people say he just "walked up to her porch/front door and took a package". Wrong. He entered private property as a criminal. He was armed, and as a citizen, you have the right to protect yourself and your property. She didn't invite him in for coffee. He broke into private property. Had he broke into MY private property, he wouldn't need the SFPD, he'd need a coroner.

I live in the neighborhood on 22nd St. and personally I am supportive of Sonya and thankful to her for doing something about this jerk. Everytime I have a scheduled delivery, I spend the entire day waiting at home like a prisoner, worried it will get swiped off the porch before I can get to it. Perhaps Sonya acted rashly, but I completely understand her situation and the desire to stop a repeated trespasser stealing your property yet again. Could she have done it differently, safer, and legally? Yes. Would it have worked? Not necessarily. Even if the method wasn't perfect, I totally am glad you did it, Sonya. Thank you.

I TOTALLY support Sonya's tenacious actions. Well done indeed. Ridiculous all the negative reactions- pathetic really. So many people turn away, coddle these fools, finally some stepped up, kicked a** and took names. I hope they throw the book at him.

I'd say that I'm a liberal but not of the pointy-headed variety that has made liberal a bad word and turned San Francisco into a cesspool. What is wrong with you people that condone thievery and act like these criminals have a right to commit crimes? Thieves should be frightened to steal things. Kudos to Sonya for her brave action. If everyone refused to allow these crimes to occur and stopped acting like criminals have a right to commit crimes we'd live in a much nicer world.

CPC 837 made the Arrest legal, and as long as she informed the defendant he was under arrest,(cpc 841 applies if he runs off in the process) the use of bear spray and the Bokken is force pursuant to an arrest, ie force to take a person into custody IS permitted under California Law.(cpc 835a) permits restraint for a legal detention/arrest. and CPC 835a(has been applied to cpc 837 arrests in case law(person being arrested has NO right of resistance) and CPC 841(he couldnt be informed promptly due to attempting to escape from a 837 arrest), as he was attempting to escape AND entered the property with a deadly weapon(pocketknife) to commit a felony(robbery)

Section 854 legalized her Pursuit of him when he attempted escape,

Dont even get me started on CPC 26050 - Nothing in Section 25850 is intended to preclude thecarrying of a loaded firearm(you are allowed to arm ones self to make a CPC 837 arrest) by any person while engaged in the actof making or attempting to make a lawful arrest.

Anonymous is also misinformed about bear spray, its actually weaker than pepper spray used for self defense, its designed NOT to hurt and only stop wildlife.. it is somewhat weaker than "street" pepper sprays and a LOT weaker than prisoner control sprays(sold in 1 lb Mk 9 cannisters(crowd pleasers)).

Btw in my oakland neighborhood.. perp would have been lucky to escape the dog pack(he would not be able to outrun them) I would use to pursue and arrest his sorry ass.

Castle doctrine is indeed enshrined in California Law...

informed anonAnon doesnt seem to be too informed about what California Penal Code actually says and allows by an arresting person.

I should also mention that while you have to inform the perp of his detention/arrest at some point in the arrest process it does NOT need to be prior to the arrest commencing, ie when a perp is engaged in a violent felony you can use reasonable force to first stop the felony and then make the legal detention /arrest.. ie if you am being shot at and you shoot and kill or wound your unlawful assailant prior to shouting "you are under arrest" your right to self defence is superior in the law to cpc 837/841. That is why the police detained him on a CPC837(citizen complain/arrest) prior to his being charged with other crimes.

great legal analysis a few "anonymous" posts up. Verified all the code provisions, but obviously don;t have the case law on the applicability of 835a on a private citizen.

As an ex Noe resident, parcel theft was a constant and super-annoying part of living there (particularly around the holidays.) For this habitual thief, though his arrest may have been extreme, it will certainly prove a lesson to him in the future.

I think anyone who makes a comment anonymously should be ignored. grow some balls. this is why we are where we are. if you hide in the shadows behind your computer screen your opinions are moot. also, anonymous attitudes are the wrong way to approach both local crime fighting and legit debate. all of us need to come out of the shadows. together we have no need to fear, alone we are in danger. if you shoot someone for breaking into your gate you will live a good portion of your life in prison. as stated you need to be under threat of bodily injury. additionally that threat cannot be instigated by the victim. it is tricky. so if they break in and come at you with a weapon you can kill them. if they break in and you come out with a gun and they run for their life and you shoot them before they get out the door .... yep... you go to prison. I also am not sure of the legality of "bear spray" if it is "military grade" there may be rules and laws about using it. I think Sonja should get a medal. i am just concerned at all the wingnut comments here about shooting people.

Last year, my friends and I were robbed at gunpoint just outside the mission. We had eyewitnesses, evidence, and partial license plate number. Do you think the cops did anything?

We were so blessed to not have been hurt but the funny thing is that had we been hurt, the cops may have acted.

You might think these little, smaller acts of crime/violence aren't such a big deal (like getting shot, or assaulted). However, they have tremendous psychological affects and when you've had a gun pointed at you, you start to see things a little differently. You get more guarded, more angry.

I was so angry with the SFPD for not doing anything. it's been over one year and they still haven't caught these scumbags who clearly have done this before and are continuing to do so.

something has to be done. is vigilante justice the answer? no, because of crazy racist nutbags like George Zimmerman in Florida. But you do have a right to protect yourself, and to prevent crime.

i applaud this woman, and though she shouldn't have bragged about it like she did, so be it. I would rather have this woman as my neighbor than these cowards who ENABLE crime and criminals.

Most criminals are not one-off criminals. They don't just steal packages off doors. This scumbag had a rap sheet filled with rape charges. You think that he didn't deserve to get bear-sprayed? Well then you have never been the victim of a violent crime.

I hope everyone keeps their head and doesn't overreact but i for one an am happy to see someone stand up for themselves when SFPD has long stopped enforcing crimes like this and allowed career criminals like this guy get away scot-free.

Actually, we cops can use force to effect an arrest, overcome resistance, or PREVENT ESCAPE. Look in the 835/836 section of the California penal code. He was a fleeing felon who just committed burglary, 459 PC. Good job Sonya.

Last week this guy was on my step about to steal a package when I drove up. I have 2 small children and this F-nut trespassed on my property and there are people here who have the IGNORANCE and temerity to condemn Sonya in support of this jack ass? PLEASE. Are you kidding me? In addition, SFPD won't lift a finger. What did they do when anarchists aka thugs/punks tore up the mission right in front of their station on Valencia? NADA. It's on us to protect our property, people, community. I consider myself a progressive - progressively getting more fed up with SF BS and some of the fools who reside here.

I live on 30th St. I haven't been able to receive packages, since $400 worth of music equipment was stolen off my doorstep, two months ago. Filed police report; cops actually laughed when I asked if they had plans to do anything about the Noe package thefts.

If Sonya Yu is sued, I hereby commit to covering the first $1,000 of her legal fees. She did everyone in this neighborhood a solid. I grow weary of a system where the delivery companies don't care, the police don't care, but when someone finally self-cures the problem, she gets the wringing of hands.

Sonya, if you find this, know that you are a hero, and we will back you up!

Thank you Sonya! I have called 911 on this guy twice. The police showed up one of those times after he was long gone. He has been on my day street porch too, tore open a box, my 3 children have been in front living room while I and a neighbor (infant in hand) have yelled and chased him off my property. I would have done exactly the same thing-spray him! Thank u for getting him off our streets. It takes a village. So glad that u r one of my neighbors! Alison Eastwood, day street.

I live in Noe, but I don't own and I'm far from wealthy and spoiled. I have been on a budget raising two kids since being out of work, so every package we receive is either a serious necessity or a gift from family or friends. Either way, we couldn't replace the items that were stolen from us, and the company you purchase from won't always be so willing to replace them free of charge. We were seriously upset when our packages were stolen for that reason. Since then, we've had everything shipped to a friend's business instead. Lesson learned the hard way.

But after reading some of these nasty comments I have to say, if you really think "just a package thief" would continue to be content with just stealing things off our porches and doorsteps, you're naive. He continued to get away with it for over a year, and became more brazen every month since the police seemed helpless to do anything about it. First it was just taking the items out of the boxes he saw on the doorsteps. Then, he started walking into entryways. Next, he was climbing over high fences. He started breaking into locked gates. What makes anyone think he wouldn't go further than that? He was cocky and sure that he wouldn't get caught to the degree that he would WAVE at us as he rode by, even talked to my neighbors AND the UPS delivery men.

I, for one, have been a victim of violent crime. When this scum came to my door, I was home with two small children and terrified. He walked up and down my stairs, opening the package I was just about to walk outside to retrieve. Not having any recourse to take with two kids in the house, I called the police, who showed up four hours later.

When you've been attacked in your own home before, it's a completely different story when this "non-violent" crime happens to you. I was freaked out and paranoid for months after it happened and still am. Who knows what kind of person this is? A knife still draws blood, no matter how big or small.

So those of you defending this criminal and attacking Sonya for using a non-lethal deterrent, stop and think of the what-ifs. I would have gladly gone crazy on this guy if it meant protecting my children from the POSSIBILITY this could have been a violent situation.

I applaud Sonya for having the guts to do what she did. He has been a plague on our neighborhood for over a year and I am a little more relieved knowing he was caught and identified at last.

"Anonymous said...There's no such thing as a "registered, licensed" handgun anywhere in SF.You can't have one unless you are a celebrity or a politician, sorry...November 29, 2012 12:39 AM"

Get your facts straight1) SF restricts the license to carry a loaded, unlocked handgun outside of your home to celebs, politicians, and former police2) The restriction on owning a handgun in SF (Prop H) was repealed in 2008 by the State courts.3) CA requires all privately owned handguns to be registered with the state on purchase, importation, or transfer of ownership (unless to a spouse). Owners are also required to have a handgun safety cert (a form of licensing).

Therefore, the statement that you can own a licensed, registered handgun in SF is totally legit.

BTW, You guys are totally silly if you think someone was equating theft to rape.This dirtbag is being refered to as a rapist because he was convicted of sexual assault in 1995.

I am a liberal. All the people defending this criminal is one of the reasons scum like Bush get elected. Basically out of touch liberals are used as cannon fodder by conservatives during elections. Its pretty freaking annoying. Basically at the end of the day you are part of the problem of why this country has gone to crap.

If this guy was not stealing stuff he would not have been hit with Bear Spray. Pretty simple. If you feel so bad for criminals and angry about the people that take them down. Just put up a sign in front of your house that says "rob me" and then you won't have to worry about other homeowners reacting negatively to your poor criminal.

you are allowed to defend your property, including your packages. Violence serves a good purpose in many cases. Just like I always say, war has never solved anything, except slavery, fascism, communism, genocide, ...

unbelievable that anyone thinks some bear spray is unnecessary force. Our society protecting the guilty v. the innocent. (well people do until it is them be attacked or robbed). Bunch of idiots.

Good for her - she should have hit him with a bat - it is a called a deterrent and he will think twice before doing it again. She didn't kill anyone and guess what- when you break the rules you should have protection from the rules. Ridiculous that people are worried about him. He is a criminal and gave up his rights when he violated everyone else's. He had a knife- some people think you have a duty to inspect what kind of knife- you have got to be kidding- should she have asked he robber guy can you show me that knife before I spray you? Also I have a questionnaire with questions such as- are you going to rape me, murder me, just keep stealing my packages? Please answer honestly so I can use proper force.

Honestly, she sounds like a racist. I think she should be locked up. What is his side of the story? Maybe he was trying to help her out. I think if she spent a few years in jail, she might not be so quick to attack an innocent man.

The only "language" that these perps understand is violence - actions are key. When you give a jolt to a person who is that far removed from reality, it's about as equiivalent to him being tapped, aggressively I might add, on the shoulder with a waving pointy finger in his face, for that is how high his particular threshold is, in making him care or for "things to matter" to him. It conveys a deep signal to his subconscious, possibly enough to ward off any future notions of attempts in that area. No matter how civilized one thinks they are, we are still animalistic at our very core: defend what is yours, mark your territory by any means, and don't be unabashed to be confrontational.

Not a fan of anonymous commenting. "Anons" may know a thing or two, but this is a community website, ferrchrissakes! Admitting one's identity requires one to be rather more thoughtful about what one says.

This lady is my hero, by the way. She has done herself and her neighbors a favor by getting this guy off the street. I am all for "alternative lifestyles", but a guy in his 50's making a living by stealing from his neighbors is not anyone to go to bat for. Better to try to intervene positively with the local teens who indulge in a bit of property theft. Community involvement might keep those kids from turning into this guy.

a note for the first anonymous guy calling this assault - just because this is san francisco doesnt mean this isnt america. When you catch an intruder on your property you are well within your rights to do whatever you need to do to defend yourself and your property and family. i assure you if i ever catch a criminal on my property he is going to get more then a pepper spray...

I am actually a family member of Mr. Anduha and I am perfectly fine with him being arrested in this situation. He's had trouble in the past with theft and drug use so I'm not surprised this happened. I live in Russian Hill and I'm usually the first one to leave my building in the morning for work, so I've had my fair share of calling the cops due to acts of attempted theft. Mrs. Yu's response may have been a little over the top, since it was premeditated, but if she felt endangered then it could be justified.

The only concern I have is this allegation of a suppose violent rape in Mr. Anduha's past. He may be a thief but he has never been a sexual predator. I was a little perplexed by this claim so I did a look up on his criminal records and found nothing of the nature. Remember in that movie Friday where the neighborhood thief said at the end "I steal, I don't kill" well we can play off that and say Mr. Anduha "takes but not rapes". I think that is a horrible allegation and I saw a couple of other blogs display their lazy journalistic investigation skills and run with what Mrs. Yu said. Sensationalism at its finest.

A good thing to come from this bear spraying incident, at least now I know what to put in my girlfriends Xmas stalking.

Great job Sonya! Using pepper spray to defend yourself against someone wielding a knife is definitely self defense. I a former criminal law attorney that amount of force seems more than justified. I am just glad that you are safe.

Hopefully this is the same guy that has been stealing packages in our neighborhood. It was eerie when my husband and I were watching a surveillance tape of a package theft since we have a baby.

Looks like Mr Anduha the "bicycle bandit" may be back on his rounds. I saw him this morning on his bike checking doorsteps in Bernal. He actually parked his bike up on it's stand in the middle of the street and looked both ways before walking up my neighbors drive. I should add I didn't see him take anything this time but I'll be challenging him next time I see him.